Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
Very impressed and exceeded our expectations. Great group of like minded people that were on our tour and we all got on so well. With ages spanning over 30 years that’s a pretty pleasing result!!
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Home-stay
Age Range
12-100 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Tashkent, Bishkek, Ghazza, Khuja
Tashkent, Bishkek, Ghazza, Khujand, Samarkand, Aydar Kŭl, Bukhara, Chong Kemin, Khiva, Song Kul, Tamga Village, Karakol, Saty, Almaty, Dushanbe
The trek in the Fann Mountains was a stand out. I would do it again despite it pushing me to my limits at times. It was like stepping into a fantasy novel- the colours, the remoteness and to my eyes the strangeness as well as the mountainous glories. The guides, cooks, porters were very supportive and I felt safe at all times. The food was excellent- even though everyone managed to get sour stomachs- it was maybe the strangeness factor. Cultural visits also well curated.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Overall, this was an excellent trip and one of the best I have done with Explore over very many years. It was certainly helped by having a good, small group and two superb leaders (one in each country), who were extremely knowledgeable and very personable. The local guides were also outstanding. The sights were extraordinary (the Islamic architecture is simply breath-taking), the people were lovely and I did not mind the long drives (on spacious air conditioned coaches) or the 9.5 hour train journey. to Samarkand As expected, the trip’s pace was full-on. As a group we took advantage of the optional extras offered and I would recommend that others seriously consider those too, especially the spectacular Uzbek music and dance show at the Grand Hall in Samarkand. Hotel accommodation was better than I had expected and generally pretty good. If I have a criticism it is that the trip should perhaps be a day longer. It would have been nice to have spent more time in Khiva and the last day in Tashkent was too long, tiring and rushed. Thankfully, I had booked an extra day in the city, although others had early morning flights. While Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are very different, I much preferred the time we spent in the latter.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A spectacular journey of discovery in the footsteps of Alexander the Great. Step into the heart of Central Asia on this in-depth journey through Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, two historically rich countries shaped by centuries of conquest and trade. Trace the footsteps of Alexander the Great, whose empire once spanned from Greece to India. And follow the ancient Silk Road, where caravans carried silk, spices, ideas and cultures between China and the Mediterranean.
With expert local guides in each country, explore some of the oldest cities in the world including Samarkand and Bukhara, where minarets, mosques, and bazaars evoke the splendour of empires past. And venture beyond the well-trodden path to discover Tajikistan’s alpine lakes and dramatic mountain landscapes.
Stay in a traditional village homestay, experiencing the warmth of Central Asian hospitality, with comfortable accommodations throughout.
Whether you’re captivated by ancient history, drawn to the romance of the Silk Road, or simply seek to explore this fascinating crossroads of civilisations, this guided journey offers an unforgettable window into Central Asia.
Adventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
To see all five Stans in Central Asia, this epic trip will start in the grand Ashgabat of Turkmenistan, explore Samarkand in Uzbekistan, then head to Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. See the best of the Silk Road and deep dive into the fascinating history, captivating landscapes and beautiful culture that’s intertwined throughout this region. You'll stay in yurts near Lake Issyk-Kul, explore Registan Square in Samarkand and watch the eternal flame of Darvaza Crater – a 70-m-wide hole in the Karakum Desert known as ‘The Gates of Hell’. From wide open plains full of wild horses to homestays and dinners with locals, there’s so much to see, do and learn in this region – so why not spend 24 days uncovering all you can, with a local leader by your side?
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A journey through the epicentre of Silk Road history. Travel back in time along the fabled Silk Road on this expertly guided adventure through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. From the dazzling Registan, Samarkand’s historic centre, the maze-like lanes of Bukhara to the crumbling mudbrick ruins of Merv and the grand marble monuments of Ashgabat, this immersive 14-day journey reveals the layered history, artistry and diversity of Central Asia.
Explore ancient desert cities, grand mosques and vibrant bazaars once vital to traders, conquerors and scholars. Cross remote borders, meet skilled artisans, and uncover archaeological treasures alongside knowledgeable local guides.
This is an unforgettable cultural journey through one of the world’s great crossroads.
Adventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Travel into desert landscapes heavy with mysticism on this 19-day adventure through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Walk in the shadows of ancient, blue-tiled buildings in Samarkand, tap into the local way of living with home stays and yurt stays, watch the sun set over technicolour minarets in Khiva, toast to the eternal fire at Darvaza Crater and revel in the eastern-futurism of Ashgabat. Step off the beaten track and onto the ancient Silk Road in this revelatory tour through ancient lands.
Adventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This incredible journey will take you through the five “Stans” of Central Asia, across mountains and steppes, treading in the footsteps of those who travelled the ancient Silk Road with their caravans winding trails through the deserts, exchanging their wares and ideas, which has led to the extraordinary melting pot of cultures that exists in the region today.
Sightseeing Tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Guest House, Hotel, Tent
Age Range
12-90 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Tashkent, Almaty, Fergana, Khuja
Tashkent, Almaty, Fergana, Khujand, Dushanbe, Penjikent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Mary, Merv, Ashgabat, Darvaza, Nukus, Ayaz Qala, Khiva, Tashkent, Karakol, Bishkek, Ala Archa National Park, Toktogul, Osh
Pack your bags and a serious sense of adventure — you’re about to blaze across four of Central Asia’s wildest and most underrated countries. This 26-day epic takes you deep into ancient cities and windswept canyons across Uzbekistan Tajikistan Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. One minute you’re wandering centuries-old Silk Road streets the next you’re hiking to neon-blue lakes or helping build a nomadic yurt. It’s gritty it’s gorgeous and totally unforgettable.
Explorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Guest House, Home-stay, Hostel, Hotel
Age Range
18-39 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Tashkent, Almaty, Samarkand, Shy
Tashkent, Almaty, Samarkand, Shymkent, Taraz, Bishkek, Chon Kemin , Tamga Village, Khiva, Karakol, Saty Village, Altyn-Emel National Park, Bukhara, Marguzor
Vast deserts, rolling steppe, fertile valleys and majestic mountains form the backdrop to the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia, which are commonly known as the Five Stans. Among this changing and varied landscape are traditional villages, ancient towns and modern cities, which tell a tale of advancing Greek and Persian armies, marauding Mongolian hordes, traders selling wares along the Silk Road, philosophers, astronomers, Communist experiments and post-Soviet eccentrics. Journey past giant burning gas pits, intricately tiled mosques, alpine lakes bordered by yurt camps, grand monuments, rural villages and colourful markets on this epic trip through the heart of Central Asia.
About this trip: We have two versions of this trip. One starts in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and ends in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the other runs in reverse. Apart from the direction of travel, the two itineraries are similar - the main difference is the route taken through Kyrgyzstan and the accommodation there. This itinerary runs from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, includes Chon-Kemin and Bishkek and stays in guesthouses and hotels rather than yurts. The other itinerary runs from Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan, includes Son Kul Lake and there are three nights staying in yurts in Kyrgyzstan.
Both itineraries include a night in a yurt in Turkmenistan.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This guided Uzbekistan tour begins in the fertile Fergana Valley – the centre of traditional crafts – and continues across the country via all the main Uzbek cities, which were key points on the Great Silk Road and, as a result, were highly prosperous urban areas.
The Fergana Valley is the land of wise artisans, who have carried through centuries the secrets of skillful ancient masters specialized in producing silk and original ceramics. There you will visit a silk-weaving factory in Margilan, where the famous khan-atlas, a handmade silk, is produced following ancient technologies, and the village of Rishtan, Uzbekistan’s main pottery. Rishtan’s unique blue ceramics is highly popular among tourists, who often buy it as souvenirs.
The tour culminates in Samarkand and Bukhara – Uzbekistan’s two most famous cities, historical and cultural reserves boasting colossal architectural masterpieces of the Tamerlane's time and earlier historical periods.
You will also visit the Nuratau Mountains and immerse into the traditional life and culture. Unique folk traditions have been preserved almost unchanged there. You will see millstones for grinding grain, watch how carpets are hand-woven, try the freshest, eco-friendly products, national local dishes at homestay and enjoy freshly baked flatbread from tandoor oven. On the wild slopes of the Nurata Mountains, you can see rare animals listed in the Red Book — Severtsov’s argali, golden eagle and black vulture included in the Red Book.
The locals are very open and genuinely hospitable. You cannot see anywhere else, either in Samarkand, Bukhara or any other place, the handmade souvenirs such as local people sell.
Eco toursLocal culture
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This exciting Uzbekistan tour package—considered to be one of the most attractive among Central Asia tour—will enlighten you on the history and culture of Uzbekistan and its world-famous ancient cities of Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, and Khiva. These cities, historical and cultural reserves boasting colossal architectural masterpieces of the Timurid time and earlier historical periods, still keep traces and legacies of the trade Silk Road cultural exchange and once-great empires of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and especially Timur, better known as Tamerlane, who made Samarkand the capital of his Empire.
A military genius whose conquests shook the world in the 14th century, Timur was also a great patron of the arts. Samarkand still boasts a number of magnificent world famous architectural monuments built during the reign of his dynasty, including his mausoleum Gur-e Amir, a gem of medieval Islamic architecture, where he lies under a huge jade slab.
Join us and see the most fascinating Uzbekistan’s monuments dating from different times. During this tour to Uzbekistan you will also visit exotic bazaars, taste delicious dishes of Uzbek cuisine, travel across impressive landscapes, and meet hospitable and charming locals.
City sightseeingLocal culture
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers